Juan Mata has refused to champion Manchester United's credentials on the eve of their return to the Champions League next week against Basel.

The Spain midfielder won the competition with Chelsea in 2012 but admits he is yet to be convinced that Jose Mourinho's United can go all the way to the Kiev final next May.

United start their return against the Swiss side on Tuesday and face Benfica and CSKA Moscow in the group.

Asked if Europa League winners United now have the qualities to make an impact in the Champions League Mata said: “I'll tell you in March. I don't know to be honest.

“I think we have a good squad but in football you never know what is enough and what is not enough. We have got great new players. The players that came can add things to the team and they have already been playing very good.

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“We have an ambition to try to win it but obviously the Champions League is the best competition you can play in Europe and it's very difficult to win.

“In those competitions you need to have some luck in some important moments and maybe sometimes you are the better team and you don't win. The main thing for us as a club is to find that consistency that keeps us fighting for the trophy.”

United's 100 per cent start to the Premier League campaign has fired supporters with hope for the season.

And it is no different in the Old Trafford dressing room.

Juan Mata has pledged one per cent of his salary to the Common Goal charity

“The belief is always there. When you play for such a club you start every competition believing that you can win it,” added Mata.

“Later some things happen and some bad games didn't allow us to win it last year but we need to find that consistency that can make us fight in the last months and be one of those teams that will be up there.

“It's the second year for the manager, he knows everyone better, we know each other better so let's try.”

* Mata was talking at the Soccerex Convention in Manchester where he was promoting the Common Goal project he launched last month by pledging one per cent of his salary to the charity.

* For further information on Juan Mata's Common Goal charity, go to www.common-goal.org